I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a molded plastic overwrap tray, and in particular, to overwrap trays used in the poultry processing industry.
II. Description of the Prior Art
Molded plastic overwrap trays are commonly used in the poultry processing industry. These trays are made of polystyrene foam and serve as packaging for cuts of poultry which trays are then sealed with an overwrap of transparent film.
The trays generally are of rectangular shape and are made in a variety of sizes by thermoforming machinery which is well known in the art. It has become increasingly evident that there is a tendency for such machinery to stretch or wrap the transparent film so tightly as to distort the trays. That is, the tightly wrapped film tends to bow the sidewalls of the tray inwardly to an extent which results in cracking or breaking of the trays, particularly if the polystyrene foam is brittle. The cracking or breaking of the trays necessitates costly removal of the poultry, downtime on the packaging machine, and repackaging as well as discarding of the original packaging.
The present invention improves on the heretofore known trays by a construction which is intended to minimize tray breakage, repackaging costs, and objectionable inward bowing of the sidewalls in the manner hereinafter described.